Fishermen in the Bahamas have turned the tables on the lion fish – literally.
The invasive venomous predator, which threatens to displace fish native to the Bahamas, are now ending up on the dining table in some of the most high-end Bahamas homes.
Although the beautiful orange striped fish has poisonous spines, the meat is delicious – locals say better that their favorite grouper.
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Conservationists and chefs in the Bahamas have teamed up to demonstrate how to snip off the spines and clean the lion fish, and prepare tasty meals.
The lionfish is a native of the Indo-Pacific Region. No-one knows for sure how they got here, but for the last two years fishermen reported seeing lots of them in our spectacular coral reefs.
Many scientists and conservationists think the lionfish were dumped into the sea by Southeast United States aquarium owners. Other theories abound.
The lionfish isn't dangerous to casual swimmers – it hides under coral heads. Once speared by fisherman, the trick is getting it off the spear without getting pricked by the venomous spines.
The lionfish eat juvenile fish and it's feared that they're wreaking havoc on our reefs, which are part of the unique real estate of the Bahamas. The pest fish breeds and feeds greedily and thrives in warm water. They have no natural predators.
That's why it's important for fishermen to harvest them.
Alexander Maillis, a lawyer in the Bahamas, had a brainstorm. Why not create an industry around the pest?
Drawing an audience of almost 200, Maillis cooked a lionfish on live local morning television at the Bahamas National Trust's headquarters in Nassau.
He demonstrated how to slice off the poisonous spines, then seasoned and pan fried the fish, inviting everyone to sample it. Instant hit!
Since then, the lionfish has been appearing on dining tables in homes in various parts of the Bahamas.
"Greeks in the Mediterranean have been eating lionfish for years with no ill effects," Maillis, whose grandparents settled in the Bahamas from Greece, says.
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